University of Florida Ranked First Out of Six Universities for Indoor Mask Use, Study Reveals

A recent study carried out by the Center for Disease Control and Prevention regarding the use of masks on campuses amid COVID-19 pandemic has shown that 98 per cent of the community at the University of Florida (UF) wore a mask, while 95 per cent of which wore it correctly.

According to the study, the University of Florida led the ranking among six universities on the use of masks indoor, Erudera reports.

In addition, the study found that 94 per cent of people wore masks indoors and nearly 92 per cent of them wore the masks correctly.

UF’s principal investigator for the study, Cindy Prins, who is also an associate professor of epidemiology and assistant dean for education at the UF College of Public Health and Health Professions said that the study has shown that universities conveying the message about the need to wear a mask has been effective.

“We also see faculty, staff and students in all areas who are modelling that behaviour, and that has helped make it a norm. It’s just expected that you are going to wear your mask on the UF campus,” she said.

According to her, it is encouraging that most of the campus community are taking preventive measures.

“At UF, a team of 14 undergraduate and graduate students from public health and health science disciplines recorded mask use of 438 people at ten on-campus and nearby off-campus sites over two weeks beginning in early November. The UF team is continuing to track mask usage in the spring semester,” a press release by the University of Florida Health reads.

Studies conducted earlier regarding the mask use among people at the age of 18 and 29, which have relied on self-reported data have shown the mask use ranging from 69 per cent to 86 per cent.

Trained observers have been used in the CDC’s study to measure the percentage of people wearing masks, masks’ material, as well as if the masks were worn correctly covering the nose and mouth.

Data were collected after observing a total of 17,200 people at six universities with mask mandates. In addition to UF, included were also the following:

• Auburn University
• Colorado State University
• The University of Georgia
• The University of Pikeville in Kentucky
• West Virginia University